1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to oxetane-containing vinyl ether compounds and alicyclic epoxy-containing vinyl ether compounds (these are hereinafter also synthetically referred to as vinyl ether compounds). It also relates to polymerizable compositions containing the vinyl ether compounds and cured articles derived from the polymerizable compositions. These vinyl ether compounds are useful as polymerizable compounds that will polymerize or cure by the application of light and/or heat and are usable in the fields typically of materials for pharmaceutical chemicals, agricultural chemicals, coating agents, inks, paints and varnishes, adhesives, resists, plate-making materials, optical waveguides, holograms, and nanoimprint compositions.
2. Description of the Related Art
Polymerizable compounds that will polymerize or cure by the application of light and/or heat are widely utilized as materials for polymers typically in coating agents, inks, paints and varnishes, adhesives, resists, and plate-making materials. Epoxy compounds have been used as the polymerizable compounds. Known epoxy compounds are disadvantageous in handleability and safety, since they have low reactivity in polymerization (curability) and show high skin irritation and high toxicity, although they give cured articles that excel in chemical resistance and adhesion.
On the other hand, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication (JP-A) No. Hei 10-25262 and JP-A No. 2003-73321 disclose some alicyclic vinyl ether compounds as polymerizable compounds. These compounds, however, are still susceptible to improvements, since they do not sufficiently rapidly cure or they give cured articles having insufficient hardness when used as materials for coatings or inks, although they have low skin irritation and are improved in workability (handleability). JP-A No. Hei 10-316670 discloses a vinyl ether compound having an oxetane ring in the molecule. This compound, however, does not sufficiently rapidly cure, and it gives cured articles that are still insufficient in transparency and thermal stability.
JP-A No. Hei 07-233112 and JP-A No. Hei. 11-171967 disclose vinyl ether compounds each intramolecularly containing an alicyclic epoxy group composed of a cyclohexane ring attached to an oxirane ring. Even these compounds, however, do not sufficiently rapidly cure, and they give cured articles that are still insufficient in transparency and thermal stability.